Why The Figurative Art Convention & Expo Is Important to the Realism Movement

The realism movement deserves its own conference. In the past, museum-quality realists have not had a conference of their own, focused on learning to draw, sculpt, or paint, and improving their skills with guidance from the world’s leading figurative artists.

It was time to create a special event for museum-quality artists, and those who desire to be, who no longer want to be involved with a stuffy “old boys’ club” filled with politics and rules.

This conference is fun, challenging, and designed to educate, inspire, and inform you in a hipper, more fun environment.

And it’s inclusive of all figurative and portrait artists, with styles varying from academic to loose and free. Everyone deserves to be represented, whether you’re a diehard about no photos or a proponent of using them freely.

We believe it’s important to keep the figurative and realism movement alive in a world that has often not acknowledged its existence. You will share your ideas and hear ideas from others about how we can work together to spread our movement, engage more buyers and collectors, and gain our due recognition.

The missing link in most art training is the important act of selling artwork. We’ll offer bonus morning sessions on how to market your art, how to engage and interest galleries, and how to grow your career so that you thrive.

Oh, and we’re really good at it. (We say that humbly.) We’ve got experience running killer conventions in art, and people rave about them and have loads of fun. We start out with orientation sessions to help newbies acclimate, and we even have a friend-matching service so you have people to go to lunch with and hang out with … just in case you want to make more friends.

The event is created by Peter Trippi and Eric Rhoads of Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, which has been a beacon to bring national attention to the realism movement for the past decade. This event will bring even more attention to the realism movement.

Why Miami?

Miami has become a world art center with Art Basel. It’s a hip town (and nice to visit in the cold of November). We believe the realism movement needs to be perceived as contemporary and cutting-edge, and this location will help send that message.